Barrow - ring-barrow

The National Monuments Service's description

Monument surveyed in 2015 and described by McGuinness (2015, 51-2) as following: ‘Low, heavily denuded earthwork comprising a circular ditch (Diam. 18.8m NW-SE x 19m E-W) which surrounds a very low central ‘mound’ or slightly dished ground level platform; where best preserved on E side, ditch is 3m in width, 0.3m in depth below interior and 0.1m below external ground level. The ASI account suggests a much defaced bank immediately within the line of this ditch, although the ditch itself is not mentioned: A small circular barrow consisting of a low rounded earthen bank enclosing a shallow circular depression. The depression is approx. 4m in diam. while the overall diam. of the barrow is approx. 12m E-W. The low bank is now scarcely visible in the summer grass [SMR file]. Presumably this ‘low rounded earthen bank enclosing a shallow circular depression’ is simply another way of describing the present writer’s ‘slightly dished ground level platform’, although it is certainly possible that further damage has been done to this low-visibility monument in recently ploughed land, since it was examined for the ASI. If there were a bank around the interior, this barrow would be shaped superficially like a miniature ringfort. Monument is sited on gentle NW-SE slope, just SE of low summit, in recently ploughed land; visibility is poor all round. A large ring-barrow (WM013-113----) lies c. 350m to NW in Jeffrystown, a kettle-hole lake lying between the two; and a third, unclassified-barrow (WM013-074----) lies c. 800m to S in Edmondstown’. According to the NMI files human bones were found on or in the vicinity of this monument which was described as a 'Rath' or 18th c. Tree-Ring (SMR File).

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien based on details provided by David McGuinness.

Date of upload: 8 February 2016

References

McGuinness, D. 2015 The prehistoric burial mounds and related monument of County Westmeath. Part III - Monuments in Northern and Eastern Westmeath (Baronies of Delvin and Fore, and Parts of Baronies of Farbill, Fartullagh, Moygoish, and Moyashel & Magheradernon). Unpublished survey funded by Westmeath County Council in association with Westmeath Archaeological and Historical Society.